A US official said the United States will allow the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s national team to travel and participate in the World Cup, granting an exemption from entry restrictions linked to the Ebola outbreak.

A senior State Department official, speaking anonymously, said Washington expects the team to take part in the tournament.

The United States had previously imposed a travel ban on non-US citizens who had been present within the past 21 days in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, or South Sudan, as part of precautionary measures related to the outbreak.

The official noted that the DR Congo team, the only one from the affected countries to qualify, conducted its preparations in Europe, which may already place it outside the scope of the restrictions.

However, if any players had recently been in Congolese territory, they would be subject to strict health screening, including quarantine and monitoring, rather than a full ban.